Caryophyllaceae
Polycarpaea

Polycarpaea repens (Forssk.) Asch. & Schweinf.

First published in Oesterr. Bot. Z. 39: 126 (1889)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Sahara to Pakistan. It is a perennial or subshrub and grows primarily in the desert or dry shrubland biome.

Descriptions

Ghazanfar, S. A. & Edmondson, J. R (Eds). (2016) Flora of Iraq, Volume 5 Part 1: Elatinaceae to Sphenocleaceae.

Morphology General Habit
Perennial herbs somewhat woody at base
Morphology Stem
Stems 10–25 cm high, decumbent to erect, appressed crispy-white tomenteose
Morphology Leaves
Leaves linear to lanceolate, 3–7 mm long, white tomentose, with revolute margins, mucronulate at apex
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers in dense terminal and axillary cymes
Morphology Leaves Stipules
Stipules ovate or lanceolate up to 5 mm long, sometimes ciliate at margin
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts similar to stipules
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals ± 2 mm, ovate with broad scarious margin, usually hairy on green midrib, mucronulate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals ± 1 mm, ovate, acute, shorter than sepals
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Styles as long as the ovary; stigma capitate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule ovoid
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds 8–10.
Ecology
Sandy soils, rocky areas ; alt. ± 200 m;
Phenology
Flowering: Mar.–Apr.
Distribution
Iraq, N Africa and Sudan eastwards to Pakistan.
[FIQ]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora of Iraq

    • Ghazanfar, S. A., Edmondson, J. R. (Eds). (2013-2019). Flora of Iraq, Volumes 5.1, 5.2 and 6.0. Kew Publishing
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images